For many women with overly large breasts, deciding to undergo a breast reduction procedure is prompted less from an aesthetic desire to improve their appearance, but more from medical necessity. Although it is certainly true that these women also are tired of unwanted attention and comments about the size of their breasts, there are also a number of medical reasons for undergoing the procedure. As a result, many prospective patients are particularly concerned with achieving permanent results. Dr. Paul Pin has many patients ask him about the longevity of results from a breast reduction procedure. To fully answer this question, it is important to first understand the anatomy of the breast itself.

Anatomy of the Breast

The breast does not contain any muscle structure. Rather, it consists of fatty tissue and glandular tissue (which makes up the mammary glands and ducts). If the breasts are overly large, they have an excessive amount of fat tissue. The breasts can also change size in response to pregnancy and lactation, or weight fluctuations. Unfortunately, this can have a detrimental effect on the breasts, leaving you with stretch marks due to loss of elasticity.

Breast Reduction Options

A breast reduction procedure removes excess breast skin and tissue, while attempting to keep the mammary glands and ducts intact. The procedure can be performed in several ways, depending on the amount of reduction needed. This can range from just liposuction to remove excess fat, to full breast reduction (which also removes excess skin), to combining a breast reduction with a breast lift to correct for sagging or drooping breasts. In all cases, the focus is on reducing the size and shape of the breasts.

Is Permanent Breast Reduction Possible?

Breast reduction surgery is considered permanent. However, the remaining fat tissue can swell due to subsequent pregnancy and breastfeeding, or weight gain. Taking hormonal supplementation can also change the size of the breasts after reduction surgery. Overall, however, these changes will be much less dramatic than before surgery. The one exception to this is if the estrogen levels are significantly high (known as hyperplasia or hypertrophy), in which the breast tissue never stops growing and the breasts swell to a larger size. In order to maintain the effects of breast reduction, you should work toward keeping your weight stable through a combination of regular exercise and a sensible low-fat diet. If you think you might wish to have children following breast reduction surgery, you should discuss this with Dr. Pin so that he can determine which type of procedure will limit risk to the mammary glands and ducts. Likewise, you should also discuss with Dr. Pin the possible effects of hormone replacement therapy after breast reduction. He may be able to suggest alternate treatment. Women with overly large breasts can suffer from back pain, shoulder ruts due to improperly fitting bras, rashes on the breasts, and even difficulty breathing when sleeping on their back. For them, a breast reduction surgery is about relieving these medical conditions, rather than just about aesthetics. Breast reduction surgery can offer a permanent solution.